Gluttony
by PetiteFilleFou
Summary: The Life and Times of The Pale Man. My own take on his past, with some fun twists :D. Tragedy creates horror, and all because of a deadly sin...Part of my Seven Deadly Sins Series.
1. Pigs

**Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me, except my original characters and the plotline. I know this because I'm not rich. **

**A/N: This is my first fanfic! :D Flames are welcome, I honestly don't care. This is not an authentic view on The Pale Man's past…I was looking for the authentic story, but couldn't find it. Wrote my own past. So yeah. R&R. **

"You're deathly pale, you know," Nina said, chastising her new guest. His tall, thin frame bristled slightly as he chuckled, nodding in agreement. "You should get out in the sun more often," she continued. "It can't be that you're in good health. Hungry?" Nina scooped some hot, steaming rice onto his plate. The man chuckled again, his two, blue eyes shining. Ravenous, he hastily grabbed his fork and began to tear into his rice. It tasted marvelous, and he hadn't eaten in days. He had always preferred meat, though, and asked shyly if she had any. Nina smiled sadly. "There hasn't been meat for us to eat in many years. I hope you do not mind. You must come from a rich family to expect such gifts. Please, what is your name? Where have you come from?"

"My name? I could not venture a guess. I don't remember where I have come from, or who I was when I left," he answered, staring straight ahead, embarrassed that he had put her in such a position. He did not mean to be so rude.

"That's alright," she said cheerily, and then laughed. "Shall we just call you Pale Man, then? This is what the entire village is calling you now, you know. What else could we call you? Scar Hands? That would be rude, would it not? No other feature stands out, and the people did not know your name. I am not so skilled in reading and writing that I could give you one, either. Unless you have one to give yourself?"

"Pale Man is fine," he laughed back, not at all offended by her remarks. Honestly, he was astounded and impressed with her unbridled sense of humor. It was a refreshing feeling. Still, he subconsciously looked down at the strange scar like crevices on the palms of his hands and touched them gingerly with his claw-like nails. When he looked back up, Nina was cleaning the dishes before she had touched a bit of food herself. "Are you not eating?" he asked, concerned. She seemed almost slimmer than himself.

"My siblings need plenty of food if they are to grow up healthy and strong. I eat only twice a day, if that. The children are worth it, and they are grateful. Sometimes they beg me to take their food. They are kind children." Her eyes were smoldering and proud. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but closed it again, thinking better of it. She continued washing, looking over to the window every so often to look at the children play in the grass. A group of fat, well dressed children stared at the thin romping figures, and then continued their less physical idea of play, occasionally looking distastefully at Nina's younger siblings. Their faces were round and plump, and their small eyes were hateful. The Pale man did not care for these small, corpulent imps that dared stare at the kind and caring creatures just outside the window. How did they get so fat, with food in such shortage as Nina had suggested?

"Could not those children give up some of their food? They look like pigs, ready for slaughter. Certainly they need no more." He pointed to them, and Nina's gaze fell beyond them, staring into space with a look of pure malice apparent in her eyes. The Pale Man felt a combination of anger at the greedy children and guilt that he had stolen some food that could have been given to the frail frames of Nina and her siblings that did not settle with his stomach. Nina's eyes grew smoldering as she looked to him.

"They are pigs, and they are ready for slaughter. Their looks are just. They tease poor little Maria, for she is the smallest and cannot protect herself. Her brothers help her when they see, but Maria likes going off by herself. They are sons and daughters of aristocrats, and they take everything. They take our food and our land, they take our health and our work. We receive nothing from them. Pigs, all of them," Nina sighed. Though said with a certain air of calm and control, Nina's copper skin grew hot and her dark eyes became fiery with an internal flame that leapt and burned through the Pale Man's skull. Her gaunt face was tight and expressionless as she dried her hands and moved into the next room to start cleaning. When the Pale Man offered his help, Nina rejected it and asked him to rest. Still, he helped her pick up after the children's things and a few other small chores before they both sat down on comfortable chairs. Nina had seemed to calm a bit, and her face was now relaxed, her eyes exhausted and soft. Waves of dark, shiny hair fell about her face and shoulders and caught the light coming in from the window, revealing brilliant reddish highlights that sparkled and glinted as she moved her head about. The Pale Man could not remember anything so beautiful.

Nina smiled at him from her chair and asked him about his pale skin, encouraging him to guess his origins. She wondered if he were a Frank, but he shook his head. If he were a Frank, how should he know such Spanish? They talked of his past for a while, and then spoke of hers. Her parents had been farmers, but the aristocrats greed had stolen them from her. Her mother grew ill, and in a frantic effort to save her life, Nina's father had allowed her all of his own food, taking none for himself, no matter how hungry he became. When her father passed, her mother died shortly after. Whether it had been of shock or of illness, Nina could never tell, but once they had gone the little band of siblings had to farm the land themselves while the aristocrats sat in their beautiful homes and wasted the day, growing almost as pale as the Pale Man himself. By the time Nina finished her tale, the Pale Man's eyes too were angry. How could anyone be so heartless? Neither the young woman nor the young man had an answer.

Somehow, without either noticing, the sun had moved slowly down towards the Earth, and Nina became frantic. She had allowed the children play far too long, and the crops needed tending to before dark settled over the village and the insufficient light of the moon made even the most rotten pieces of food look milky and succulent. Her once smiling face was terribly troubled and filled with dread. She had almost lost the entire days work, and her frustration and anger was apparent in her staccato movements and harsh cries to her brothers and sisters. "Now look what you've done, I've lost nearly the whole day!" She yelled back to her guest as she ran out the door, hurrying her stunned siblings to hard labor.

Hours passed slowly; Nina would not allow the Pale Man to help her in the fields, for he was still recovering, though he begged her to allow him to make up for the time he had caused her to lose. Only the day before he had still been unconscious, and she asked him to be mindful of that. Her tone was hard and almost sarcastic, so he did not try to contradict her. So the Pale Man sat in solitude, falling into a dreamlike state where the taste of meat combined with his hatefulness of the greedy children that hurt poor little Maria. It was not until Nina returned with her siblings that the Pale Man realized that these visions were so closely intertwined, and he stared fearfully at his scars as his stomach growled, demanding flesh.

**A/N: There you have it folks. Random fanfiction from my own head. Wanted more on the Pale Man so I MADE more. End of story. Well not technically. I plan on updating this. NOW REVIEW!!!! **


	2. Ernesto

**A/N: If I don't start getting reviews for this I'm going to get annoyed. Might delete it. The only review I have is from someone I know in real life. Please Review after reading??**

Maria would have loved if the stranger would talk more, but he didn't even seem to be listening to her. She was trying to tell him all about her favorite cat, Anita, and the things she had done that day, but he didn't seem to care. Brow furrowed, she pat him on the knee and looked up at him, her expression accusatory. "You're not listening!" she protested firmly, her lips pouting. "You have to listen, or I will spell you, and you won't be able to eat _anything_ for a whole day!" Her imagination was surpassed by none in the family. The pale man merely smiled, amused, and looked at her playfully, tickling her a bit. Her musical laughter reverberated throughout the whole house, and Nina smiled at him, grateful he was keeping her entertained.

"You will spell me? Oh, now I am truly frightened, Miss Maria, your powers are so strong!" he cried, playing along with her little charade, making her laugh harder, squealing with delight. Her dark ringlets sprung back and forth, dancing just as gleefully as her eyes. She began to crawl around the room on all fours, laughing as she went. She sat on the floor next to him, purring and rubbing her head against his white leg. She began to scratch at his knee with her loosely held fist and look up at him with her dancing eyes wide. He pet her head a bit, and laughter once again flooded the home, coming out in shaky attempts at a meowing sound, like that of a cat. "So, Miss Maria the cat, you were telling me about your loyal subject Miss Anita?" he urged, patting her head once more. She immediately leapt to her feet and began spinning her marvelous tale once again, with just the same if not more enthusiasm than the first time she had told it. The pale man was sure to pay close attention this time, lest the child begin the cycle again. Nina had been softly chuckling in the background the whole time while she cooked lunch for her family and the strange man who now resided with them. She was no longer angry at him for the night before. In fact, she apologized many times for her rude behavior towards him, to which he had replied "Please, I understand. Things are difficult, there is no reason to apologize. I just wish I could be more helpful." He was a dream come true for them.

Maria was in the middle of recanting a particularly suspenseful part of her story in which the fearless Anita had bravely gone off to slay the terrible dragonfly when the twins came bursting in the house, both yelling out two versions of some argument, looking for their older sister to settle it. Sternly she looked at them, and both fell silent. "Now," she began seriously, "we can hear the story. _One _at a time, please. I do not want to burn your dinner. Bonita first, Fernando," she finished before they could both begin speaking again.

"Nina, Fernando is being mean!" At this, Fernando began to protest, but a single look from Nina silenced him. Maria and the pale man stared in awe. "He keeps telling me my hair is ugly, and that I will end up an old maid because no one will ever want to marry me! He won't stop!" The girl was more annoyed than seriously hurt, being an older age than Maria, who at such a thought would have attempted to attack her brother angrily.

Fernando glared at his twin, arms crossed tightly. He was clearly furious, and the pale man thought she may have done something to provoke those comments, that he did not deny saying. "She keeps being annoying and trying to poke me! Tell her to stop poking and I'll stop making fun!" he cried indignantly. Nina was obviously uninterested in the trials of these children. She went back to her cooking, not even bothering to respond, except with a look that both scared them into silence. They knew better than to interrupt her for such trivial problems that could easily be solved, if only they would give up on being stubborn. The two looked at each other concernedly, wondering when they were going to get their sister back. Ever since their parents died, Nina had not had any time to help them or have fun with them. They walked away then like mutts with their tails between their legs, heads bowed lower than usual, whispering to each other, obviously forgetting their earlier dispute. Bonita and Fernando could be heard a few minutes later, playing together without another care, their innocent minds easily moving past terrible things, shielding them from such problems their sister was burdened with.

Nina's siblings were quite aware that food was not easy to come by, and knew that she was busy, even if sometimes they forgot. But none of them really knew how often she went hungry to give them something to eat. But now the pale man sat there, watching her day in and day out, noticing when she handed the others plates and kept none for herself, taking careful watch on how many days she went without eating at all, and how often she only ate a small portion of what she gave to each child and himself. He was mostly silent, a spectator in her home, a ghost if you will. But he was kind, and good with her small siblings when they chose to bother him with their trilling voices and vivid imaginations. Maria was already continuing her story, speaking of Anita's encounter, in which the dragonfly breathed a fire hotter than the sun and Anita simply squished it with a flick of her paw.

The pale man seemed heavily engaged by her stories, but in reality was thinking, just as he always was. Always he seemed to be in solitude, even when others tried to reach him, such as the lovely, clever Maria. Even when Maria cried out, giggling, "Now you are the cat!" and he began crawling on the floor as she rode on his back, the pale man could not help feeling that a piece of him remained inside, always in reverie, always contemplating, always hungry for more things to ponder and wonder. He was there, and he was not. Nina noticed his distance, but did not mention it; she did not want to be rude to her guest, especially such a fine one as the pale man. She found him intriguing, and beautiful, despite his pale complexion and mysterious scars. He was a mystery come to life, and she had never met such a man. Though she did not admit it, she was quickly getting into a rhythm that would not allow for him to leave, acting as if she were his wife, and he her husband, though he was bedridden. He would not be so forever, and once he was not, she pretended he would stay and help her raise her brothers and sisters, help her maintain the house and the crops. She knew once he could leave, though, he most certainly would.

The pale man, however, was not so sure. Though he did not seem to fit seamlessly into the home in which he now resided, he did not wish to leave. Where would he even begin to go? He had no recollection of any past, no ties to any place but the one he was currently in. Nina was the most beautiful creature he could ever remember seeing, which though it seems unimpressive, would remain his opinion for several thousand years. Though her frame was monstrously thin, her eyes sparkled with life, her hair gleamed, and her face, though tired with age beyond her years, was angelic . She was kind to her siblings, but firm when she needed to be. She was over worked and strong, but gentle. He did not want to leave Nina. He wanted to help her with the fat pigs that lived not far away, and help her get more food. Once he had his strength back, he was sure he would be able to. But he did not pretend to believe that she would allow him to continue living there, terribly pale, strange, and unknown as he was.

Thus, secretly both lived in fear of losing the others company, though neither could say so. Nina, for fear of seeming desperate or overbearing, did not want to pressure him into staying. She felt selfish for even thinking about expressing this feeling to him. The pale man, on the other hand, felt it would be rude to test her hospitality. So, it was settled that when his strength returned and he could continue his unknown journey, he would do so. Maria, being a mere age of seven, did not know he would be departing so soon. She soon began calling him father, just as she had begun calling Nina mother at only age three, a year after her true mother had died. Maria knew full well Nina was her sister, and this strange guest merely that, but, as she liked to put it, that didn't matter because they lived with her and were very, very old.

Nina finished the dinner and called the twins inside, then asked Maria to get her eldest brother. Maria danced to the other room, disappearing with three twirls and a giant leap, yelling as she went for Carlos to come and join them for dinner. Nina served the food evenly onto five plates, and the pale man looked at her reproachfully. She lowered her eyes as she handed the twins their meager meals. Maria returned on the back of Carlos, who then placed her carefully in her seat as she laughed madly. She started eating as soon as she got her plate, but this did not stop her from beginning an exceptionally long story about a chicken named Ernesto who ate so much magical rice it exploded and filled the world with a dark, powerful spell that sometimes caused the crops to go bad and the floods to come. Everyone at the table was enchanted by the story as they ate, all besides Nina, who did not eat anything at all.

After Nina cleaned up dinner, the family went out to the fields, leaving the pale man to himself once more. This time his craving for meat did not last quite as long, and his nightmarish visions of eating greedy children were far less vivid. He did not mind so much, though he was quite confused as to what it meant. He thought of the chicken Maria had described, and wondered why it had eaten so much rice. Surely it had felt full far before it had exploded. Yet it had kept eating. He did not understand, it did not make sense. Still, he wondered if the chicken had meant to stop eating the rice, but could not bear to give the magic to anyone else. He finally decided that the chicken must have been unbearably selfish, and that he would not like to meet such a chicken, especially if it brought such ruin to all that around it and itself.

Before he could grow restless and bored, it grew dark and Nina returned, shoving her siblings off to bed, all except Carlos, whom he allowed to stay awake for a short while longer. Carlos did not want much to do with the pale man, he did not trust him completely. But he did not object to the pale man being in his home, only to having to speak to him. The trio sat in silence for a while until Carlos decided he'd had enough. He left, and went to his room, mumbling something about feeling more tired than usual. The pale man did not dislike Carlos, but understood why he was wary. He was not sure if he could have accepted someone like himself if he were in Carlos's place, and was astounded by Nina's friendly disposition and blind trust. However, now that Carlos was no longer in the room, the pale man could finally confront Nina.

"You haven't eaten in three days," he began slowly, making sure she would not be offended by his concern. When she did not protest or respond, and merely looked down like a child caught disobeying a parent, he continued. "It isn't healthy. I can eat less. It is not as if I do anything all day, anyway." His empty stomach growled as he said this, but Nina did not hear, and the pale man silently told it not to complain.

"You need to regain strength if you ever want to get out of this place. I have endured longer, I assure you," she replied, giving a weak, sad smile. She turned her head away, afraid to look him in the eyes. She had never admitted to going more than two days without any food to Carlos, who at twelve was aware of his sisters eating habits, and duly concerned that she would be nothing but bones soon. "The noble lords do not allow for me to eat much. The children must eat, and so must you."

"You should eat," he said, a hint of urgency in his voice. He was worried for her. His earnestness did not travel through the air well, however. They sounded hollow and distant as they fell on Nina's ears. Still, she knew he was worried. His face held the urgency his voice was missing, and she sighed, nodding. She agreed to eat breakfast the next morning, but would not agree to eat more than that. Somewhat unsatisfied, but defeated for the moment, the pale man fell into silence, and Nina offered no more conversation. The pale man decided to gather his courage then, at least a small bit of it. He was feeling better even now, with only a few days of consciousness. He knew he would be strong enough to leave soon enough, and he wanted more time. So, he said, "At least allow me to stay on a bit afterwards, to help repay you for your troubles. I will eat little and help in the fields, if that is alright." Nina's tried her best to hide her delight at his request, and, not trusting her voice to be unexcited, she nodded her consent and smiled. The pale man smiled back, and they sat in silence for another few minutes, uninterrupted, simply happy to be in each other's company.

Outside, the calm happiness that had permeated through Nina's home was absent in the air. It was cold, dark, and gloomy, the clouds shutting out what should have been a hint of remaining light that makes the dusk so beautiful. Drops of rain began pounding on the rooftop, creating a melancholy song the storm seemed to sing. Suddenly a there was a flash of bright light that paled the candles, and a loud burst of thunder blasted the countryside. Nina looked over at the children's bedroom and counted down from three. On the count of one, Maria came bouncing happily into the room, proclaiming with a shriek, "Ernesto! It's Ernesto!"

The pale man chuckled as he watched the boisterous child bounce up and down and look eagerly out the window. Nina merely gave a tired but amused sigh and got up to go towards her youngest sister. "Now Maria," she began, and Maria's smile gave way to a frown, an unseemly thing on the girl's face as she anticipated rebuke and an order to go back to bed and stop making so much noise, "I thought you told us Ernesto exploded a long time ago. How could his magic still be working?" Maria grinned, happy her sister was playing along. Devilishly she laughed this time, knowing full well her sister was right. But then, Maria was always one to think on her feet.

"Oh yes, but that was only the first time! He comes back to eat more rice once the magic runs out, and explodes all over again!" she looked at us again, devilish grin still spreading across her face like water spreads through a field, slowly seeping in and filling the space.

"He should not eat so much, doesn't he know that he will explode, if he has so many times? Isn't it painful?" Nina questioned, just as enthusiastic as Maria now.

"Oh, it is very painful," Maria said gravely, the smile leaving her face for a serious look. "And he knows that too, but he does not care. He wants all the magical rice for himself, so he must eat it or others will too!" As she said this, Maria looked straight at the pale man. He thought it was probably coincidence.

"Ah, so he just wants to eat until he cannot eat anymore, Maria? How terrible," Nina replied, with the same mock severity. The girl giggled as if she were insane, obviously tickled by her sister's tone. "Now go to bed Maria. Ernesto's storm won't go away very quickly, with all that rice he ate!"

"But I want to meet Ernesto, Mommy!" she protested loudly, waking Carlos, who gave out a groan of annoyance from the other room.

"Bed, Maria," Nina said more firmly. "Ernesto will not be coming for a very long time, and it will be very late. You can meet him some other time, for he will continue to eat his rice, and will join us again." At that, Maria hugged Nina and the pale man, bidding her "mother" and "father" goodnight. At being addressed as such together, the eldest of the household blushed slightly, though it was more pronounced on the latter with his pale complexion, and Nina kissed her forehead, pushing her in the direction of the bedroom. The door closed, Carlos groaned again, and then they were alone once more.

The rain still pounded angrily on the building, and every once in a while the storm would cast an eerie light and a terrible noise. Only twice did they hear Maria shriek. By the third boom, it could safely be assumed that she was asleep. That third boom was when Nina and her guest relaxed, knowing they would not be interrupted by small pattering feet once more. The pair talked only for a few minutes. Nina was exhausted from the day's work, and, not having eaten in quite a few days, was weak with hunger. However, she did rather enjoy speaking with him, and did not wish to go to bed right away. Their conversation was spoken in low, hushed tones, so they would not wake the others, and so they had to sit rather closely to hear each other over the rain and thunder. They were happy together, speaking like old friends, laughing at the wonderful mind of Maria, and marveling at the twins' arguments. Maria soon yawned, however, which signaled the end of their conversation. However, when Nina reached the door to her bedroom, she turned to look back at the Pale Man, and smiled. She then waltzed into her bedroom and closed the door.

The Pale Man smiled too, and fell into a deep sleep, and dreamt of the taste of meat and blood.

**A/N: Yeah so the romance is kind of abrupt. But this is like, olden times. People got married at like fourteen years old (Nina's somewhere near nineteen or twenty by the way) and usually it was an arranged marriage or something. Marry for money or convenience. And the ending is fun, no? **

**NOW REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!**


	3. Rumors

**A/N: Don't kill me with his name. He was name-less. It was getting SO ANNOYING. And slightly confusing. So I wanted to give him a name that the somewhat illiterate townspeople would come up with, especially since some of them had some not so nice opinions of him. So i took the Spanish word for light and added an "O" at the end. DEAL WITH IT. :D **

**Reviews are so appreciated it's not even funny. Seriously people. I love your reviews. They keep the chapters coming. Every day I check my email, and if I have a new review, I say "Ah, I should write that one more!" and when there isn't one I say "Well...no one cares anyway. I'll do that later.....maybe tomorrow...or the next day...or w/e." **

**So Review!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Never was. Never will be. Not even in another dimension. If that's how you spell it. **

They took to calling him Luzo. His light skin, hair, and eyes led to no other word for him if he refused to name himself. Even his slight frame agreed. The more learned of the town decided upon it. The gossip about this man, this Luzo, flew through the wind like tiny spores of a weed into all of the garden's in the small Spanish city, polluting the households and crowding the town's center. It was told he was a man from another land, a man where all the light skinned came. Others held fast to the idea that he was a fairy, come from another world, claiming no foreigner could know such Spanish and not remember their past. Certainly Spanish was his first language. Saying this led others to believe that his mother had dropped him in a vat of milk as a very young baby, and he had taken his bath in milk so much that the darkness of his skin, hair, and eyes had seeped from him, leaving him the pale wreck he now was. Stranger still was the tale that this man was a monster, come to ruin them all. Yet the monster Lito was the most popular story among the commoners. Aristocrats, choosing not to believe such silly ghost stories, decided the story of milk made most sense. If one spent enough time bathing in milk, would not one lighten? Fewer still believed the man was a God, come to save them from illness and famine.

These rumors reached the ears of the household within which he resided, but none were fazed. Nina allowed rumors to roll off her shoulders like rain in the fields, knowing that no town gossip could be too credible. At the death of her parents, they had speculated the pair had been murdered in their sleep by little Carlos in jealousy of Maria, or worse yet Maria herself. Other rumors had circulated claiming that her parents had not died at all, simply left so that they would not have so many mouths to feed, none to feed but their own. Those that liked her parents, and knew and respected them, thought that these were silly. The rumors they believed said her parents had died mysteriously, as if from a spell, and without warning. After all, they had not seemed sick, only two days before. None of these were true, and so Nina learned early not to listen to the people of the town, not to let them bother her. Lito did seem a fitting name though, and so he became Luzo, even to them. He did not mind it, and it was easier than calling him Pale Man, which was a bit of a mouthful.

It had been long enough, though, since he had been a resident on their small farm, for the rumors to die down from the crashing waves of a storming sea to the lapping ones of a calm beach, roars of a lion into the whispers of the breeze. They continued circulating, but he stopped receiving obvious stares and harsh whispers whenever he stepped a foot beyond the door. At least two weeks since Ernesto's storm had passed, and Luzo was healing nicely. He helped Nina and her siblings in the fields regularly, and helped raise the younger ones. Carlos even had begun to accept him, becoming less wary. He was no longer simply another mouth to feed, which helped coax the eldest boy of the family to like him better. He often helped stop the endless bickering between his younger siblings, which also improved his opinion. For once in Carlos's life, his house could be peaceful, if not quiet.

Nothing was ever quiet with little Maria running about, gleefully giggling at the slightest of provocation. Dun rooms were lightened by her presence, her boisterous energy and bubbling imagination. All were affected by it, no matter who came to visit. The second they laid eyes on the child, a new life sprang to their eyes, a younger, more hopeful expression that lasted only the few seconds they looked upon her. When she wasn't laughing wildly, she was spinning fantastic stories of journey's to other worlds, and the punishment of those that took more than they ought. Obviously her sister hadn't entirely kept her siblings in the dark about the evils of the aristocrats. No one knew where her energy came from, where she was storing it all. With so little food, surely she should get tired a bit easier? Luzo wondered what she would be like if there was plenty to eat, and she could receive all the meat and fruit in all of Spain. He laughed at the thought of the young girl running in circles and doing all sorts of complicated acrobatics.

The twins were finding that the less they bickered, the far less tired they would have to be. They were coming to like each other a bit more, even. Fernando tried his best not to pick on his sister, and she in turn tried to be nicer to him, now that Luzo had them under his strange, strikingly blue, watchful eyes. Their harmony at first disconcerted Nina. She was worried they had grown ill, or something terrible had happened that they would not speak of. In the end, she realized the truth; having Lito around made raising the children and making sure they had enough to eat a little more bearable. Before, she had been only one. The twins didn't respect Carlos as an elder, he'd been too young when their parents died, he'd been their playmate, just as dependant as they. Nina was the only disciplinary figure in the household, and she had to attend to keeping them alive as well, not just keeping them from bickering. So, the two had grown into a discord, not realizing what a beautiful dissonance could be created from their seemingly opposite personalities. Now, kept at bay from torturing one another, they could be left on their own, and get along. More or less, that is. The occasional spat, however, ended with both sets of wide, young eyes staring into the eerily light ones of the tall man they now grew accustomed to seeing every day, begging for forgiveness in mere expression. He had talked to both of them, and had tried to explain the hardships they put upon their eldest sister when they fought so. They understood. And now that they understood, regret and remorse covered their faces whenever they were caught raising their voices to one another.

Carlos was strong-willed, and though unused to having an older man in his household for such a length of time, willed himself to like this new stranger. He could neither ignore nor deny the odd look his sister got on her face when he drew near, and the utter need his family had for his presence. So he tried his best not to be perturbed by the slight, white figure and piercing blue eyes. He had small conversations with Luzo, and usually they ended in laughter and sly comment. They worked well in the field together, and Carlos was finding it far less irritating to have him around when the meals grew a bit larger, though he was angry that his sister found the extra food for her siblings and still went days without eating herself. The resentment was not of Luzo, though, whom he heard scolding her for her neglect of her own needs. The two chided her as much as opportunity allowed. They did not want the twins or Maria knowing what Nina was doing. Especially when there was now so much peace within the house, which Carlos had missed more than meals since his parents passing. Even in poverty and hunger, the family was prospering.

Still, Luzo was troubled. A growing hunger had enveloped him. There was so much he wanted that was just out of reach. Firstly, a nice piece of meat. For unexplainable reasons, he experienced these cravings often, and longingly looked upon the few livestock Nina had been able to keep, wishing he could take them for himself, then hurriedly changing the subject in his mind. These thoughts scared him. These cravings, he did not understand. Sometimes, Luzo believed the rumors that swirled about his home, believed that he was indeed a monster come to ruin them all. This hunger could not be assuaged, but it could be ignored. For now. But for how long? Such a thought always rang through his mind.

Secondly, there was Nina. Quickly he fell for the beautiful young girl who had become his savior and his friend. Such a girl should be married by now, surely. But with the situation as it was, it had been impossible. She refused to marry the one man who offered, a young aristocrat who offered his condolences for her loss and asked for her hand in marriage in the same breath. Distraught, she had not thought of future prospects or possibilities. She had not thought of what comfort this might have brought to her family, she thought only of how vulgar this man was, and how insulting it would be to accept such an offer when mourning the dead. So she had refused, and the next day the young man had been accepted by another from her village, another wealthy aristocrat. They matched each other. Ugly, corpulent beings as they were. Nina had shared this story upon his inquiry with a bitter smile and a caustic laugh. Where would they all be now, she wondered, if she had taken the grubby hand of such a man? Then, her eyes ablaze, she had smiled sweetly at him, and, to his perception, coyly, and said, "I'd much rather have waited for a lighter man." She'd then turned quickly and almost giddily run towards the fields. At this Luzo had paled, and then blushed, wondering wildly if she had been trying to be funny, or if she really meant it. He had run after her, laughing, a trail of children following him. Carlos had shook his head and smiled, walking at his own pace and watching with amusement. Luzo would have very much loved to propose to Nina. In fact, propriety dictated it. He lived with her in her house, yet they were unmarried. Yet, he was unsure. The strange suspicions, his overwhelming longing, these things terrorized his mind, and made him wonder how long he would be able to resist. How could he ask Nina to marry him, knowing these things? So he waited.

On this particular morning, Nina moved slowly around the house, eyes lifeless and glossy. She yawned, holding up her hand to her mouth absent-mindedly, other hand busy cleaning around the house. Exhaustion was plain on her face, her mouth laying limp, her limbs sluggish. To Luzo's dissatisfied eye, she looked like the walking dead. He walked to her and put a hand to her chin, watching her eyes jolt in shock. He smiled sadly, saying "Nina, please. Sit a minute. Sleep a bit. Surely you slept a little last night? You don't look like you have. I'll clean. Go." What began as a request had slowly morphed into an order, a command that she get rest. She shook her head, opening her eyes a bit wider.

"I'm fine, Luzo. I'll be awake once I've had a bit of water," she said, forcing her mouth into a weak smile.

His reply was swift and loud with finality, "Have a bit of food, at least. You'll need it, by the look of you. You're dead on your feet." At this, she defiantly raised her slack figure to a military posture, smiled as brightly as she could manage, and opened her eyes to an unnatural degree. She looked as if she'd just seen a ghost. Her transformation made Luzo laugh. Maria pranced into the room, giggling herself.

"My sister is so funny," she squealed, "that she makes the Pale Man laugh! Tell me, Daddy, is she funnier than me?" Maria had come to a stop just before Luzo, tugging on his clothes.

"No one is funnier than you, Maria," he answered with a flash of white teeth. She danced outside, off to play a fun game in her own imaginative world. With a last reproachful look at Nina, Luzo went to wake up the other children so that they could be ready for breakfast, and then right to work. It was a routine they had devised. Maria was usually awake before anyone came to get her, of course. She was always the first to wake, the last of the children to sleep, and the one with the most energy of any of them. No one really understood where she got all of it. She just always seemed to be moving, a constant stream of fluid motion and noise. And, as annoying as that sounded, she was a delight to all that saw her.

Carlos groaned at the light nudging and low words, and the twins yawned in near unison. Still, they were up, and Luzo went back to the kitchen, where Nina was fixing a light breakfast, none of which she would eat herself. Luzo would also skip this meal. He was the healthiest of them all now, and strong enough to skip a meal here or there. He could afford to lose more meals than Nina, though she would not admit it.

When breakfast began, the family sat at the table and ate in what could have been considered silence had Maria not been chattering away at speeds that far surpassed any normal conversation by a mile. They were all tired, and Maria's one-sided conversation was enough to keep them happy. The meal was small, and Nina and Luzo didn't even pretend that they had eaten. Neither had the energy. So, in the midst of a marvelous tale of fairies and monsters, Maria suddenly cried out, "Mommy, why aren't you eating anymore? Aren't you hungry?" This startled everyone at the table, and a hush fell over the entire party. Maria didn't seem to notice, staring up at Nina with large, questioning eyes and a wistful expression. Either she didn't notice, or she didn't care. There was silence for an uncomfortable twenty odd seconds, and then Carlos slammed his plate down on the table in front of Nina.

"You heard the girl!" he cried, livid. "Eat something!" His eyes were now blazing with the look Nina often got when speaking of the aristocrats. It was a look Carlos seldom ever held, one of passion and heat. Nina was even more shocked now, unable to form a coherent response. She came out of her daze like someone comes out of a deep sleep, slow and groggy. Eventually, she decided the best response would be anger. She stood from the table regally, held her head high, looked sternly at all of the children, glared for a moment at Carlos, and walked from the table like a slighted queen. Dumbfounded, the children all stared at me, looking for what to do. I motioned for them to continue eating, and all but Maria complied. She refused to eat another bite. Hot tears of frustration rose to her eyes, overflowing one at a time onto her face, creating little patterns of water down her cheeks, like winding rivers. She wouldn't speak, nor would she move from her tight position of crossed arms and legs in her chair. Luzo sighed and hugged her awkwardly, then left her to the care of her older siblings. He had to tend to Nina's temper.

Nina stood, spine erect, in the next room, face to the corner, shoulders square. Her head was held high, but as Luzo drew nearer he could see her shoulders shake. He put a pale, wary hand on her shoulder, then put the other hand on her other shoulder, holding her firmly, but far away. She grabbed his hand in hers, holding it in a vice grip, trying to get a hold on herself. Eventually her grip loosened, and she removed her hand, wiping her eyes hurriedly and taking a deep, shaking breath. Suddenly, she said, "Maria was crying."

"So were you," he pointed out. She turned, her eyes bloodshot, but confident and dry. Her reply was sharp and robotic.

"It doesn't matter. Maria is so little…"

Luzo grabbed her shoulders once more, shaking her slightly, "So are you, because you refuse to eat. You're skin and bone, even Maria can see it. Don't think you're fooling anyone, Nina. The twins don't say anything because they are afraid. Maria just did, because she doesn't understand. Carlos and I…we are concerned. We want you to be healthy." Her eyes moved downwards to stare at the floor at these words.

"They are more important," she answered bluntly, as if that solved all the problems. Confident in her resolve once more, she met his eyes again, this time with an even stronger air of stubbornness.

"And without you, where would they be?" he asked, trying desperately to make her see what she did for them. Her smile was sad and cynical. He grimaced at the expression.

"With you. You'd do fine with them, I know they would. You wouldn't abandon poor little Maria, would you?" This ended the conversation. He sighed loudly in frustration, but released her. She was right. If Nina was gone, Luzo would do whatever it took to keep the family together and safe. Regardless of the cost to himself. He could never abandon the motley assortment of children that sat in the kitchen, eating that meager morsel of a breakfast and comforting the youngest. What could he argue? He did not know at the time.

When he followed Nina back into the kitchen, Maria was chattering wildly again, Carlos was attacking what was left on his plate that he had meant for his sister viciously, and the twins were giggling at Maria's antics. Though Carlos's attitude was ruined, most likely for the rest of the day, everything would be alright. Maria was a resilient child, and not very easily upset. Her recovery was nearly instant, probably from the moment she saw her sister walk through the kitchen door. The twins were happy to pretend nothing was wrong. So, in essence, all was well for them. Lito smiled at their innocence. He wished for a moment to return to such a state, such a state as he never remembered being. His past was still a mystery to him.

Later, they went to the fields to work. He watched Nina intently, her supple, fragile muscles moving gracefully, glaring at him, the only meat on her gaunt body. Her eyes turned hazy as she worked, and a sort of dizzy smile appeared on her face, elated by her work with the land, bringing food to her siblings, providing for them as she would her own children. She enjoyed her work because it brought so much to others, though it merely took what little energy she had, and gave nothing back to her, as she would not eat the food, or at least not often. Selflessness, that was his Nina. Her caramel skin glistened with sweat. She smiled more brightly towards him while she realized he was staring. The pair was silent as they worked. They did not need to speak, they simply enjoyed themselves. For he too enjoyed this work, he wanted to help her, to help the prancing, giggling children that ran about the fields, playing as they worked. They shared happy glances and bright smiles, but never exchanged words. They both saw the love that threatened to shatter the lived of all in the family, the love that neither could deny, the love that he was afraid of, and that she desperately needed. It was seen, but never spoken. It was during these long hours that they felt truly like a married couple. There need be no pretense when the conversation is unspoken. They enjoyed each other's presence, laughed at Maria and the twins, looked proudly towards Carlos. He thought Nina was most beautiful when she worked. She gained a sort of connection to the earth itself, a part of the land. Her hair waved about in the wind, and fused with it. Her movements flowed with the movement of the dirt that swirled about and the swaying of the crops. And she could see that he thought so, he told her so with his eyes, gleaming with admiration. These long, arduous hours of true happiness lasted only until lunch, however, when they needed to speak. The spell broken, things were less intimate. Suddenly he was a house guest again.

It was after lunch, back out in the fields for just a bit longer before the children took some time to play and the trio of adults would care after other matters, that they came. The sun was lowering in the sky, and long, dark shadows were cast on the ground in the guise of demons, tall and distorted. The children danced about, making little puppets with their hands and laughing at their strange creations. Luzo and Nina were sharing their peaceful love in their silence. Carlos tried to help entertain the children, occasionally speaking to Nina and Luzo, though wishing to not interrupt. The dirt road shone in the waning light, and two figures came slowly from the distance. They walked without haste, and with much purpose. Their clothes, regrettably, were expensive and gaudy. Their dark skin was covered with jewels and ornaments, and their corpulence was apparent from a long way away. Obviously well fed and well dressed, to the small, broken family, this visit could mean anything. The whole of them stopped everything. Even Maria managed to keep herself quiet as the dreary pair somberly approached.

Once they were near, it was easier to distinguish their exact personage. The woman was bovine in structure, her eyes large and drooping, her hips the same width as her waist and bodice, her grubby fingers short. She wore an immense amount of jewelry, each gaudy piece glinting in the late afternoon sunlight, sending a shimmer of blinding sparkles in every direction. She wore a dress of a distasteful, bright purple that clung to her hips and spread wide in a hoop skirt. Her hair was done up in a complex design that resembled a bee's nest. She held her head high, her pompous nature showing through every pore on her large body. Her husband was equally large, perhaps more so, and his eyes were like a fish. His mouth stuck out slightly, perpetually in a frowning pout that made him seem like each moment of his life was filled with anger. Heavy brows rested over his beady fish eyes like furry caterpillars. He was equally well dressed, but did not have any jewels or jewelry save a single ruby on his simple gold band.

"We had to see for ourselves," the man said, without bothering to introduce either himself or what the family assumed to be his wife, "this…atrocity." The man stepped forward, standing a breaths width away from Luzo, staring up at his tall person. The man was short to begin with, and Luzo stood well above most men. "This Pale Man. What is this, Patricia, do you think? This abomination?"

Her voice was shrill and many octaves above what would have been the immediate assumption of her tone as she said, "Oh, of course darling. Abomination is just the word. They are calling him Luzo, are they not? Oh, how repulsive. Not proper at all for a lady of my stature." The family glared at the pair now, recovered fully from their initial awe and shock. Maria's stare was the coldest and hardest of all.

"Now, Patricia, has your poor weak heart had all it can take? I do not blame you. Such things are not meant to be looked at long. Come along dear." And without another word, the Baron and the Baroness left the family as if they had never visited. The silence hung about the land long after they had disappeared over the horizon. Luzo's hands shook. Nina's eyes burned. Carlos's teeth clenched. The twins held each other's shoulders, eyes glaring off in the distance. Maria's fists tightened. The tension rose for an immeasurable amount of time as they stood there, unmoving. The indignity of the situation had struck more than a few nerves of each of them. And their blatant discrimination against Luzo enraged them all. Not a word was spoken.

"Bastards…" Carlos muttered under his breath. Nina's head snapped to him. She lost it.

"Carlos! The children!" she hissed, unable to control herself.

"They've heard worse from you, Nina!"

"Do you think I'm proud of it? I stopped that a long time ago!"

"Well you shouldn't tell me not to say what you've said every day since our parents died!"

"Get inside, now, Carlos!"

"Telling me what to do, sister? I own you until you're married!" Once this was said, everything stopped, except the now audible wails of Maria. Carlos's eyes widened in regret and fear. In her rage she was visibly shaking. Maria ran to the house. No one stopped her. No one else moved or said anything. Luzo stood staring, unsure of whether to attempt to aid Carlos or calm Nina. The twins stared at their own feet, shifting uncomfortably. Carlos was frozen, rooted to the spot in which he stood, unable to move his hands from the awkward position next to his chest that he held them.

To everyone's surprise, Nina's voice was calm. "Carlos, please go inside," she whispered politely. Carlos obeyed, racing to the door, releasing his frustration in the activity. Nina's eyes welled with tears for the second time that day. She asked the twins to follow Carlos, and they too hastily went inside. Nina stared at Luzo, angry and hurt. "I could kill him," she said, "and it kills me." Luzo went to her and drew her into a soft embrace. She did not sob, simply let tears fall from her eyes for a while. When she was ready, she swallowed a few times and drew away from his arms, drying her eyes as she walked back to the house, ready once again to face her siblings.

The scene inside was similar to the one that had been taking place with Nina. Carlos held Maria close to him, soothing her in soft tones, while the twins hung close by, seemingly attached to each other. They all looked up at her as she entered, a weary look on her face, her eyes reddened and her smile weak. Bonita was first to smile back. Then Fernando. Maria's watery smile was the brightest of them all. Carlos looked away, ashamed. Bonita touched his shoulder, then went to hug her eldest sibling. Nina stroked her hair, murmuring her apologies. Fernando gave a brief hug, and Nina mussed his hair playfully. Maria bounced over to her for her own hug and personal apology. Carlos stayed behind, still unable to look his sister in the eye.

"Carlos…" Nina sadly chimed. Carlos nodded curtly in response. "Carlos, look at me." He turned his face, but kept his eyes fixed on her nose for a few seconds.

Then, looking her straight in the eye, he said clear as crystal "I'm sorry." She went to him then, sure he would not move to her, and embraced him tightly.

"You are forgiven, you silly little thing. And don't object, Mr. Man of the House, to being called little, for compared to Luzo you are but a small boy!" Laughter ensued, and Luzo placed Maria on his shoulders, and the mood lightened greatly. The Baron was never mentioned again, and neither was the outburst from Nina and Carlos. The family knew there was no need. All were forgiven, no more need for regret or anger. The Baron would not be returning to their home, not for a long time at least, and so there was no use dwelling on that either. So the family restored peace once more, forgetting the fat pigs in their pretty houses, forgetting the fat pigs in the yard, forgetting the tears and the arguments. There was no need for such things when life was so wonderful.

So at dinner time, the mood was light as Luzo's pale skin and blue eyes. Maria chattered, Luzo and Carlos chatted, and the twins played with Nina. All would have been well, had Nina eaten more than a mouthful of food. Why was she still starving herself, Luzo wondered, when they were finally gaining enough crop to keep for the entire family, including Nina? Why did she sacrifice when there was no need? It was unclear. He stopped asking. She never gave a clear answer, never really knew why. It was almost a reflex for her now. She felt guilty for taking more than she absolutely needed to survive. Not what she needed to be healthy. Just enough to keep herself moving. So she nothing at all most meals, and very little on the seldom that she did eat. Luzo wondered how long she had tempted fate in this manner. He wondered how should could still work.

Still, the light mood carried over to the evening, and Maria almost refused to go to sleep at the end of the day. There was much laughing from everyone, Carlos's eyes smiled even when his lips did not, enjoying the beautiful, warm evening in a way he had not imagined ever being able to do, with the burdon of his family on him and his older sister. Maria made a point of paying close attention to Carlos. She stuck by him all night, determined to keep the smile in his eyes. It was her opinion that Carlos needed laughter the most. Without it, he was cold. She wanted him to be the warm, happy brother he had been. The one she missed. And when she saw him coming back, she held fast. The twins kept trying to steal her away, but Luzo and Nina kept their attention well enough. Carlos was happy. Maria was happy. Everyone in the family was, oddly enough. Their day was too horrible to be in bad spirits.

Finally, they managed to calm everyone down. Carlos was first to bed, as usual, yawning and stretching, then giving Nina and Luzo a pointed look as he left the room. The twins were soon to follow, ghosts of their laughter etched on their tired features. Maria skipped off to bed, after much coaxing. Leaving Luzo and Nina alone, as was the routine. This was the other time that they could be together in the way they wanted. No children around, no Carlos, no one but themselves and each other. A certain calm swept over the house as the others crept slowly into sleep. The dark made it difficult to see, once the lights were off, but Luzo's pale skin shone in the residual light. Nina smiled faintly in the shadows. Luzo smiled back. They were happy, and, now that they could admit it, alone in the dark, in love. Luzo moved closer to her, sitting close to her, but apart. Their fingers barely touched. Yet they felt an intimacy that could not be reached through open affection. Their love was secret, even from themselves. It was an easily realized dream, but the consequences were fearful. Would the children accept it? Would Carlos? What would become of them if they married? Would the townsfolk wish to kill him for marrying someone so normal? They thought he was a demon. If they thought Nina was too, they might want to take Maria and the twins away. Maria would be resentful. Bonita would not understand. Fernando would fight back. It was a scene they wished to avoid at all costs. Carlos would them for it. So they shared this and this only. Never any more

And their respite was short lived. Maria lifted her hand and smiled weakly once more. A shaking hand grasped Luzo's shoulder. Startled, he grabbed it, trying to steady it. She pulled away, saying she was simply tired. He stared after her retreating figure as it walked into the bedroom, eyes wide. She was shaking. _Shaking. _And still she denied anything was wrong. She couldn't go on like this. He had to do something about it. He sat for a long time, hearing the even breaths of his family, knowing they were fast asleep. Carlos snored loudly, but they were very heavy sleepers. Even jittery little Maria could sleep through very loud noises, unless it was a storm.

Suddenly he was overcome by both of his impulsive hungers. He wanted Nina, and he wanted a feast of meat. He was dizzy, he felt sick. His breaths were short and ragged, drinking in the air to steady his stomach. It didn't help. He got up, and stumbled forward, turning to the door, his dizziness worsening, his stomach clenching. His eyes were seeing red, and his minds' eye was seeing Nina. He panicked and race to the door, exiting the house and finally falling to the ground, hands out in front of him, eyes shut tight. As sudden as it had come, it stopped. Luzo sat on the ground, panting, hands over his face. Tremors ripped through his body. He felt immeasurably weak. He imagined idly that Nina must feel similarly all the time. Still shaking, and still a bit nauseous, Luzo went back inside. He lay down, tried to sleep, and hoped the nausea would leave him. However, it did not for a long time, and he was unsettled by this occurrence. He had never felt that way before, nor did he want to repeat the experience. He didn't know what had brought it on, nor did he know how it had stopped. It was unpredictable, could come back at any time. He was helpless. If they were to see him? What would they think? Sleep did not come for a very long time. But sleep did come. Dreamless, restless sleep, that was interrupted every so often by a wave of nausea, until that, too, finally passed.

That was when he dreamt. A beautiful woman with sweet smelling hair held a beautiful baby girl. The child was paler than the mother, the complexion instead of light caramel more of a light tan. Still, the child was beautiful. She smiled at him, as did the mother, Nina. Suddenly Carlos was there, laughing and smiling. All were rejoicing in his baby girl, his and Nina's. An older, more womanly Maria danced playfully around the child. Bonita and Fernando cooed at her and congratulated the parents. It was the sweetest dream Luzo had had since he could remember. He took the baby in his arms, and kissed it on the nose. But when he brought the child to his face, a succulent scent tickled his nose. He went into a frenzy, and consumed the child. He wanted more, more, more. He took up Maria, then Bonita. Then he ate Fernando and Carlos. Nina stood screaming, and began to flee. But she was so thin, so weak. He caught her and ate her up, too. Then, he exploded into a thousand pieces. His flesh was torn, his bones broke, everything pulled apart in an agonizing process that made a loud boom.

He was startled into consciousness, cold sweat forming on his brow. He wondered if a demon could be a demon and not know it. He wondered if some rumors were true, and if someone who looked like an abomination could keep from being one. Lastly, he wondered what Nina would make for breakfast that morning.

**A/N: There you have it, my longest chapter yet. We're about to get to some good stuff, people. Good stuff. So review if you want good stuff FASTER! Reviewing makes the world go round, and makes me neglect my homework to write fanfiction. So please review. I don't like homework. **

**If you were wondering at all why I write two author's notes, it's because I hope that if I write two, at least ONE OF THEM will be read. Maybe. It's probably a false hope. But hey, you know what, it's worth a shot. **


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